In the Athens of antiquity, the law required a litigant to make his case in front of the court with two successive speeches.
Many logographers built a foundation for a later career in politics by defending people who were the targets of politicized prosecutions.
The absence of prosecution and defense attorneys meant cases were decided mainly upon the basis of the speeches given by plaintiff and defendant.
In Classical Athens, the social status, wealth, and esteem of a witness determined the strength and potential impact of his (typically a male's) testimony and not necessarily the accuracy of his account.
Unlike in modern legal systems, these "character witnesses" wielded considerable influence over juries.